


Recipes for Love

by terrae



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Erik is a Father, Kidfic, M/M, Swimming, Swimming Pools
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 11:36:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13317258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terrae/pseuds/terrae
Summary: Peter, Wanda, and Lorna are taking swimming lessons this summer.





	Recipes for Love

**Author's Note:**

> I sat down in the hopes of writing a sequel to my other two one-shots but then I saw this prompt: an OTP AU based on your current/past profession, and thought, well, hm. Long story short, I used to teach kids how to swim. Also, when I started writing this, I couldn't.. seem.. to stop. I also don't know where this is going either! Ideas are most welcome. So anyway, there you go! Unbeta'd, if you spot any mistakes, lemme know!

Summer rolls around faster than Charles and Raven notice, but they're not complaining. This May marks the second May they're going to be responsible for the kids' swimming practice at the local mutant center. They started this activity last year as a way of getting university supplies but soon it became more than that. Besides, parents loved them; they were both young so the children were slightly less terrified and they were both just charming people to be around. At first, it was a way of being independent and making money themselves but it turned out to be enjoyable. 

As enjoyable as working with children can be. 

The first lesson of the season is going to start any minute. Charles looks at Raven as she takes down the children's names as he warms them up and smiles. Even if he doesn't admit it as he should, he's really proud of his little sister. 

He looks back at his audience. There's Scott from last year who's hopping on his tiptoes and flailing his arms about, looking back at his older brother who's watching him from the bench. There's Ororo who's new but looks very happy and a little impatient to jump into the water. Charles looks around as he hops as well, urging the children to mimic him, and can't help but feel disappointed. Last summer, they had more than seven children by the end of July but it wouldn't do him any good to let the disappointment show on his face. The children would think they were doing something wrong. 

When it is time to get into the water, he looks at Raven one last time and upon seeing her half smile and shrug, sighs and says, "All right, guys, ready to get into the water?" 

Then he hears a miniature voice shouting for him to wait and a millisecond later, something silver rushes past him, appearing before his eyes. "My name is Peter," the fluffy ball of silver says and Charles has the thought that Peter is going to thrust his hand forward and shake his own. "Wait for my sisters, Papa is putting on their caps."

"I see, and where is yours?" Charles asks, kneeling down. The boy's carrying his kickboard in one hand, his floaters in place and goggles on his head but no swimming cap. "You do know you can't set foot in the pool without your cap on."

"Your accent's funny." 

Charles smiles, "So is your hair. Are you going to distract me with obvious commentary and jump in the water?" 

Peter smiles cheekily, "Maybe." He shakes his hand, "Papa sucks at putting them on, he accidentally poked me two times!" 

Although Charles laughs, he says, "That's not very nice, is it? I see, and where is your Papa?" 

Peter points behind him and Charles stands up to look. Sure enough, emerging from the changing rooms are two little girls, caps awkwardly on their heads in a way that can't be comfortable. Behind them, a frustrated looking man walks behind them. 

Charles feels giddy. "Whoa, hold on," he interrupts the young girls' sprint, coercing them to their team's area. "What are your names?"

"I'm Wanda," the brunette says, actually sticking her hand out to shake his. That makes Charles grin, he thinks it was the most adorable gesture he's seen. 

"Nice to meet you all, my name is Charles." He notices the third sibling nervously looking at the water and says, "Hey, what's your name?" She doesn't answer him. Charles understands this perfectly, it's not the first time he's seen a child thinking they'll drown turning shy. During Scott's first time in the water, it had been his first time being in any pool, and had spent the first fifteen minutes crying while clutching at Charles' back before he decided to look around and see that he was above water. Charles still remembers the tiny crescent-shaped marks that were left on his bare shoulder. 

"Her name is Lorna," Charles hears a masculine voice provide and looks up to see the tired man from earlier. Presumably the father. He stands up and offers his hand, "Charles Xavier."

"Erik Lehnsherr," The man takes his hand and shakes it. His is a strong, professional grip that gives Charles tingles. 

"So you're the one who can't put on a swimming cap properly," Charles teases, and Erik gives him a look. 

"There wasn't enough time for YouTube for tutorials, but I did take some time off to bring them. That has to count for them." The look on Erik's face is a worried one, perhaps even a guilty one. Charles doesn't want to think too much about why the man feels guilty about not knowing how to put on a swimming cap. 

"Hey, I'm joking. You don't have to be too hard on yourself, I've recently learned it myself. It's fairly easy once learned, here, Lorna?" The little girl looks up, and encouraged by her father, she steps forward. 

"For children with shorter hair, it might be easier but this is fixable. Lorna, your hair is in a ponytail and this might cause you to be uncomfortable, so I'm going to put in a bun, okay?" Lorna nods, and Charles is able to put on the cap faster. He does this for Wanda as well, and lastly, for Peter, who protests a bit in the beginning but ends up complying. "Hey, why don't you wear one?" Peter asks him. 

Charles shrugs, "I don't see any rules about the coach having to wear one. Now, let's do some stretches." He makes them stand in a line, all five children waiting patiently before Raven steps in and making them do the warm-ups. 

Beside him, Erik says, "I can't get them to follow my orders this quickly and I'm their father." He looks impressed. 

"Probably because they know you too well," Charles replies and Erik chuckles. "So how did you hear about us? It's always a delight when more people join. When my sister and I - that's her, by the way - started this, we didn't think anyone would join."

"Oh, we frequent the center since it's one of the few places that's mutant-friendly and we happened to see your flyer in the hallway. I thought it would be fun, plus they'd learn how to swim," he shrugs. 

Charles internally chastizes himself, he may have been trying too hard not to stare at Erik's eyes that he forgot they had pinned up a flyer! 

Luckily, Erik goes on, "I heard you're a mutant, too, you and your sister." 

"Raven is a shapeshifter and I'm a telepath," he adds and licks his lips, his eyes darting back to the kids as they stretch. Erik hums and says, "I've never met telepaths before, but it's a pleasure." 

This comes as a surprise, because while this is 2018 and a large percentage of the population widely accepts telepaths, he can't help but feel a little nervous every time he has to talk about his mutation. Meanwhile Erik says, "I like the center because it's safe, we're all mutants here. But the idea of there being a special place for us is condescending. It's like centers for the disabled or the mentally ill and we're not that."

"Baby steps," Charles tells him, but he understands his point. 

"We've been taking baby steps for the past fifty years, Charles. Humans will never change." 

Charles has a lot to say to that, but Raven signals him that they should start. He gives Erik an apologetic look and turns to the kids. 

This should be interesting. 

X X X X X

The day goes well. Well, unless you exclude Lorna's temper tantrum as soon as her feet touched the water. Normally when a scared child starts crying, other children who hadn't thought of that option begin to cry, too. Anxiety spreads among children like wildfire. Charles knows from experience that it doesn't matter if a child doesn't know why the other child is crying, they just have to as well. 

Peter had been indifferent about his feelings toward the water, and soon started to converse with Scott about his favorite dinosaur and that broke the ice between them, taking the edge off. Wanda, on the other hand, began hesitating once it was time to get into the water, but seeing her brother safe, she decided to give it a go. It wasn't until it was Ororo's turn to go in that Lorna started crying, and the little girl began crying as well. The protocol to follow was ignoring the child's crying, especially in swimming lessons, they'll either tire themselves out or realize that it's not dangerous at all. The crying child should also be separated from the other children but since it was the first day, Raven was in charge of registering the children's names and couldn't be in there with Charles, which left them all to him. 

But Lorna was four and wouldn't stop crying, no matter how many times Charles and Erik tried bribing her with sweets. Erik ended up having to change her and forego her lesson. Charles promised him it was only natural for a child to behave this way and that sooner or later, Lorna was going to want to mimic her brother and sister. 

It was a productive day. 

 

Lying back on his bed, Charles scrolls through his Facebook feed. An idea crosses his head but he discards it quickly. However, since he's bored with nothing to do (it is summer, anyway), he types in 'Erik Lehnsherr' in the search box and hits search. Two dozens options pop up, and Charles prays Erik has his own picture as his profile or at least one of his children. Otherwise, this is going to be very difficult. He ignores the first and second option because the last time he checked Erik isn't bald or a fourteen-year-old kid and keeps scrolling. He finds him at last and clicks on the profile. 

Charles likes to believe he isn't stalking, but he knows better. Erik's profile is fairly empty, which either means he doesn't have that much time or he's just not a fan of social media. Charles clicks on his profile pictures and swipes away for some time, thoughts like, _how in the hell does he manage to look stunning both on camera and in real life?_ dancing in his head. He's about to swipe again when Raven swings his door open and he jumps. 

"I told you not to do that! I could be doing things you wouldn't like to see," he grits his teeth. Raven has no respect for privacy at all, one of the numerous things that they often argue about. Well, more like he argues and she ignores him. 

"No need to get all shifty, what do you want for dinner? I'm cooking," she says casually.

"Please don't.''

"Like I would ever. Come on, answer the question."

Charles takes a moment to think about it and says, "I want Indian."

"Good call," Raven says, turning on her heel and leaving. 

"Close the door!" He shouts and from the kitchen he hears her say, "You're not fifteen anymore, shut it yourself!" 

He sighs. He might not act like he's fifteen but she definitely is. Someone forgot the memo that someone is an adult now. 

Looking back at his phone, Charles sees Erik's profile still open. He bites his lip before deciding to send him a message. It takes him some time to think about what to write but when he writes it, he's actually proud of himself. _Don't be ridiculous,_ check. 

_Hey, Erik. It's Charles from the mutants centre. Remember me? Well, of course you do, we've only met this morning. Haha! How's Lorna? :)_

It could be worse.


End file.
